Machine for making tubular sheet-metal posts



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. l

F. P. ROSBAGK.

r MACHINE EOE MAKING TUBULAE SHEET METAL-PUSTS. 110,463,201. PatentedNov. 17,1891.

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I'. P. EOSBAOK. y MACHINE EOE MAKING TBULAR SHEET METAL POSTS. No.463,201.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

F. P. ROSBAGK.

MAGHINE EOE MAKING TUBULAE SHEET METAL POSTS. No. 463,201. Patented Nov.17, 1891.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4:.V

ELEEOSBAGWK. MACHINE EOE MAKING TUBULAE SHEET METAL POSTS.

110.463,201. Patented Nov. 1'7, 1891.

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FREDRICK P. ROSBACK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRYF. BAND, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR MAKING TUBULAR SHEET-METAL POSTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,201, dated November17, 1891.

Application filed February 24, 1891. Serial Nd 382,374. (No model.)

To a/ZZ wiz/0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRICK P. RosBAoK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain neur and useful Improvement in Machines for MakingTubular Sheet-Metal Posts, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide a practicaland efficient machine for rapidly and economically making tubularsheet-metal posts, preferably of the form and construction set forth inmy application for Letters Patent of the United States tiled on or aboutJanuary 17, 1891, and serially numbered 378,114. As described in my saidapplication, the sheet-metal post'is formed from a sheet-metal blank,which is rolled into tubular form with the longitudinal edges of theblank overlapping one another, and as a preferred construction thetubular post thus formed is gradually enlarged in diameter toward oneend and left free to further expand in diameter along its larger endportion, so that when the post is driven into the ground the expansionof its end portion which thus penetrates the earth will serve to enlargethe base portion of t-he post and give it a firmer hold in the ground.To construct such a post of sheet metal (particularly of sheet-steel) itis desirable to so roll the blank that while its overlapping edgeportions along a portion of the length of the post are free to move uponand draw away from one another when the post is driven into the ground,the blank rolled up, as aforesaid, shall normally preserve a propertubular form with its overlapping edges lying closely together. In otherwords, the blank should be so rolled that when in tubular form it willnot of itself spring apart along the seam or line of meeting of itslongitudinal edges.

A further important object of my inven-i tion is to attain the foregoingrecited desired end. lVhile, however, I prefer thatthe aforesaidsheet-metal tubes or hollow posts shall increase in diameter toward oneend, I may produce straight cylindric sheet-metal tubes.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other useful ends my inventionconsists in matters hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents in front elevation amachine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 in Fig.1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a seetion'online 3 3in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a sectionthrough one end portion of the machine on line Ll 4 in Fig. 2, thegearing at the extreme end of the machine being, however, shown inelevation. Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the machine on line 55 in Fig. Ll. Fig. (5 is. a vertical longitudinal section takencentrally through the machine, with the gearing at one end thereofomitted for convenience of illustration. Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 7in Fig. 6. Figs. S

and 9 represent blanks from which the tubu` lar posts can be formed.

In said drawings, A indicates the main frame, which may be of anysuitable con struction and which is adapted to support and provideappropriate bearings for the several operative parts of the machine..The main frame is provided with a table 1,Which extends substantiallythe length of the machine and which serves to support a blank inposition for its advancement to the shapingrolls, as in Fig. 3, whereinI have indicated a blank B. The sheet-metal blank is rolled into tubularform about a rotary arbor or mandrel C, which may be either straight,cylindric, or enlarged toward one end, or of other suitable shape, inaccordance with the desired shape ofthe tube that is to be produced. Themandrel C is journaled at one end only, so that after a sheet-metal tubehas been formed about it the tube can be slipped off the mandrel. InFig. 4 Ihave shown the mandrel C provided at one end with a long journal2, which is supported in a couple of bearings 3 and 4f, so as toproperlyl support and steady the mandrel, although as a matter of courseone long bearing can be substituted for the two bearings with the samegeneral result. a group or set of rolls which lie parallel with oneanother and which operate so as to cause the blank to be drawn betweenthe mandrel The mandrel forms the center roll of IOO or center roll andthe surrounding rolls and so compressed between the same as to give aset to the sheet-metal tube. which are arranged about the mandrel asaforesaid, act both as feed and pressure rolls and are driven in unisonwith the mandrel, so that when said rolls D are placed in properjuxtaposition to the mandrel the blank will by the conjoint operation ofthe mandrel and surrounding rolls be drawn about and compressed upon themandrel.

As a means for giving an initial bend to the blank, so as to deilect itsforward edge into the line of a circle passing between the mandrel andsurrounding rolls, I provide a roll D, having a set oflongitudinally-arranged grooves or corrugationsY 5, so that when theblank is fed, for example, between the mandrel C and one ot the rolls D,as in Fig. 3, its forward edge will be caught by the roll D, which willthereupon bend such edge portion of the blank down upon the mandrel, andhence direct it to the line between the next succeeding roll D and themandrel. The roll D', with the exception of its corrugations,corresponds generally with any one of the rolls D; but by reason of itssaid corrugations operates also as a bending or deiiecting roll. Thecorrugations or depressions in the roll D practically provide it withribs or teeth, which serve to engage the forward edge of the advancingmetal sheet, and hence said roll is practically a toothed roll.

Power can be applied in any suitable way for driving the mandrel, andlikewise power can be applied in any suitable way for driving therollswhich lie about the mandrel; but as a special and preferred arrangementthe mandrel is at one end provided with a cog 6, which engages cogs 7 onthe rolls surrounding the mandrel.

In order to properly form a sheet-metal utube, the rolls surroundi ngthe mandrel should be set close to the same, otherwise a proper set willnot be given to the tubular sheet. After the tube has been formed, it isneces sary to vfree the rolls D and D from the same, so as to permit itto be slipped along and removed from the mandrel. To the attainment ofsuch end the rolls D D are journaled in adjustable boxes vor bearings E,which are adjustable radially to the center roll orarbor C and iitted inguides 8 on the uprights i) and lO of the main frame. As a means forsynchronously adjusting these bearings E, so as to set the rolls D D upto and also move them away from the arbor C, Iprovide cams or eccentricsF, which are fixed upon rockshafts G and arranged between shoulders 1lon said bearings. r

bearings in the ends 9 and 10 of the main frame. These said rock-shaftsalso extend beyond one of the ends of the main frame and are connectedtogether by gears I-I, so

The rolls D,`

ne rock-shafts G are ar-v ranged parallel with the rolls and have their"that when one rock-shaft is actuated a like movement on the part of theremaining rockshafts will take place. As a means, th eretore,foroperating the rock-shafts, I provide one of them with a hand-leverl2, as in Fig. l. The gears II are herein shown at the end of themachine whereat driving-power for operatatiing the rotary mandrel isapplied; but in practice I prefer arranging said gears at the oppositeend of the machine.

The cams or eccentrics at one end eof the machine are arranged to have agreater throw than the cams or eccentrics at the opposite end of themachine, in which way, when the two sets of eccentrics are operated forthe purpose of moving the rolls D D away from the arbor C, said rollswill at one end of the machine separate from the arborto a greaterextent than they will at the opposite end of the machine. This will beunderstood by a comparison of the eccentrics in Fig. 3 with theeccentrics in Fig. 2, it being seen that. those in Fig. 3 willimpart agreater extent of movement to the bearings with which they engage. Saidarrangement insures a constant engagement between the cogs of the rollsD D and the cog on the arbor, and also adapts the machine to operatewith either a straight, cylindric, or tapering mandrel.

In order to relieve the journals of the rolls` D D from the great strainto which they would otherwise be subjected, I provide between the endsof the machine one or more sets of bearing-rolls I, which bear againstthe rolls D Dl and serve to back the same. These bearing-rolls I areconveniently carried by movable bearings K, which are similar to thebearings E. For each set ot movable bearings K, I provide an upright l3,constituting a portion of the main frame and generally similar to one ofthe ends thereof. The bearings K work in guides let on the upright 13,and are operated from the rock-shafts Gin the same way that the bearingsE are operated from said shafts, and to such end each bearing K isprovided with shoulders l5, between which an eccentric on one of itsrockshafts is arranged to work. The number of sets of thesebearing-rolls will depend upon the length of the mandrel, and for eachsetI can provide a set of adjustable bearings, and

for each set of bearings provide an upright plate or frame -piece 13.These plates or frame-pieces are understood to have suitableopenings'for the rolls and mandrel, as will be understood by referenceto Fig. 3, in which the end plate or frame-piece l0 has an opening,through which the tube canbe drawn from the free end of the mandrel.

As a means for operating the rotary mandrel, I have herein provided apulley-shaft 17, mounted in bearings on the main frame and provided witha gear 18, which engages and operates a large gear 19, fixed upon themandrel.

In order to remove a completed tube from ICO the mandrel, I provide astripper-roll L', Fig. l, which can be brought into contact with a tubeupon the mandrel and driven in any suitable way. For example, thestripper-roll can be driven from a pulley 2O on shaft 17 through themedium ot' belting 2l, (herein partially shown,) it being understoodthat the belting can be carried over suitable pulleys on the main frame,and that such will be readily understood without further illustration ordescription. The stripperroll is mounted upon a movable bearing 22,which can be adjusted from a foot-treadle M, whereby by operating thefoot-treadle vthe stripper-roll can be brought into frictional contactwith a tube on the mandrel, and when thus brought into engagement withthe tube it will quickly run the tube oif from the mandrel.

The blanks from which the tubular posts or the like are to be formed maybe either rectangular, as in Fig. 8, or gradually decreased in widthfrom one end to the other, as in Fig. 9, but should be of a width topermit their longitudinal edges to overlap one another when the blanksare rolled into tubular form. In order to form a tubular post,

the blank is simply placed upon the table l and advanced so that it willbe taken by the mandrel C and the feed and pressure roll just above it,as in Fig. 3. Thereupon the blank will be fed to the combined feed andbending roll D', whichwill engage the edge of the blank and turn thesame down upon the mandrel, so that as the blank continues to advanceits said edge will next be taken by the mandrel and roll D, nextsucceeding the roll D', and so on until the tube is completed. In orderto thus form and give a setto acomparatively small sheet-metal tube, thefeed and pressure rolls must, in practice, set close up to the mandrelin order to eXert a high degree of pressure upon the sheet metal, itbeing observed that there will be sufficient spring in the bearingconnections of the rolls with the main frame to allow the metal sheet topass between the rolls and mandrel.

With regard to the stripper-roll, it may be here noted that when thebearings E are moved outwardly there will be sufficient space for theroll to pass between two of the rolls D, so as to reach a tube upon themandrel, and that I have in Fig. 3, for example, shown a space betweenthe rolls D and mandrel C, merely for clearness of illustration.

That I claim as my invention is l. The combination, substantially ashereinbefore set forth, in a machine for making tubular sheet-metalposts and the like, of a rotary mandrel, a set of rotary feed andpressure rolls arranged about the rotary mandrel, and a toothed roll D',adapted to engage the forward edge of the blank and bend the same downupon the mandrel, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in amachine for making tubular lsheet-metal posts and the like, ofthemandrel C, a set of rotary feed'tand pressure rolls arranged about themandrel, a set of adjustable bearings for said rolls connected to have asyn chrouous adjustment, and means for simultaneously adjustingsaidbearings.

The combination, substantially as here-V inbefore set forth, in amachine for making tubular sheet-metal posts and the like, of themandrel, a set of rotary feed and pressure rolls arranged about themandrel, adjustable bearings E for said rolls, and a set ofgear-connected rock-shafts from which said bearings are adjusted.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in amachine for making tubular sheet-metal posts and the like, of themandrel, a set of feed and pressure rolls arranged about the mandrel,adjustablebearings for said rolls, and a set of gear-connectedrock-shafts provided with cams or eocentrics engaging said bearings, forthe pur-n pose described.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in amachine for making tubular sheetmetal posts and the like, of themandrel, pressure-rolls D, and a toothed pressure and bendingroll Df,arranged about the mandrel, and adjustable bearings for said rolls, andmeans for adjusting said bearings. 4 i I5. The combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in a machine for making tubularsheet-metal posts and the like, of a rotary mandrel C, journaled at oneend and having its opposite end free to permit the, removal of acompleted tube, a toothed roll D for engaging and bending the forwardedge of a blank down upon the mandrel, and a set of rolls for pressingand shaping the blank upon the mandrel, said rolls being all adjustablyheld so that they can be moved away from the mandrel in order to allowthe completed tube to be removed therefrom.

7. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in amachine for making tubular sheetmetal posts and the like, of .the rotarymandrel, a set of rotary feed and pressure rolls arranged about therotary mandrel and mount-ed in adjustable bearings, and a set ofbearing-rolls supported by adjustable bearings and arranged to back saidfeed and pressure rolls, for the purpose described.

8. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in amachine for making tubular sheet-metal posts and the like, of themandrel, rotary feed and pressure rolls arranged about the mandrel,bearing-rolls arranged to-back the feed and pressure rolls, adjustablebearings for all of said rolls, and means for adjusting said bearings.

9. The'combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in amachine for making tubular sheet-metal posts and the like, of a rotarymandrel from which the tube after IOO IIO

Completion thereon oanbe removed, and a an adjustable support andoperated from a stripper-rollfor removing the completed tube suitablesource of power, for the purpose from the mandrel. e specified.

10. The Combination,substantallyashere- FREDRICK P. ROSBACK. 5 inbeforeset forth, in a machine for making Wtnessesi tubular sheet-metal postsand the like, of CHAS. G. PAGE, the mandrel I) and a strippe-rollcarried by FREDK H. MILLS.

